Here comes Kim Kardashian, the Balenciaga bride

They (Etsy) did warn that people were going to start investing in vax merch, but until now, fashion hadn’t really taken any notice. That is until Pierpaolo Piccioli uploaded a picture of himself wearing a V for Valentino for Vaccinated hoody this week. Although this seems to be a one-off piece made especially by the atelier for their double-jabbed creative director, are we about to see a Valentino X Moderna capsule? Stay tuned for SS22 to find out. 

Twisted, crumpled, and thrice-spliced London designer Per Gotesson once worked on the shop floor of Weekday, before getting picked up as its womenswear designer. Fitting then, that Gotesson should release his second collaboration with the Swedish label this week (Thursday 26). According to the designer, the capsule takes a hacksaw to hyper-masculinity, exploring the nuances of manhood via deconstruction, swooping cut-outs, patchworking, and trick-of-the-eye layering. The collection is made up of extremely limited edition pieces, having been forged from Weekday deadstock. See what’s left online here.

As Kanye gears up for a third – though probably not final Donda playback party – the bulletproof vest worn by the musician at his Atlanta iteration has been sold for $20,000. The tactical gilet, which was allegedly gifted to one of the security guards by West, garnered double the amount that Justin Reed, art dealer, had originally expected. That comes as little surprise, though – interest in Yeezy has surged to over 347 per cent throughout the Donda performance art ordeal. So while there's still no clear release date for the album, perhaps it makes better sense to simply never release it. 

The line between art and advertising has, over the past ten years, become so blurred that to open a commercial magazine often feels like reading a catalogue of any given brand’s recent collection. Yet, fashion houses are devising increasingly innovative strategies to spread their message away from glossy publications and capture our attention. For example, Balmain this week announced a unique partnership with Channel 4 on a short form drama series starring Jesse Jo Stark, Charles Melton, Tommy Dorfman, and Ajani Russell. Premiering on September 2, “Fractures” marks the first co-branded venture between a fashion label and a broadcaster and will showcase Balmain’s AW21 collection throughout each of the five eight-minute episodes.

Hot on the heels of their seventh studio album, “Song Machine – Season One: Strange Timez”, which got its release last year, Gorillaz have collaborated with Flannels on an exclusive collection. Designed by illustrator Jamie Hewlett and creative director Remi Kabaka, G Foot is inspired by the cartoon band member’s own wardrobes. Russel’s crane print kimono, 2D’s oversized hockey jersey, Noodle’s gold satin jacket, and Murdoc’s quilted bomber jacket all come to life in this 12 piece capsule. The collection goes live today (August 20) on the Flannels website. “This is real style in a cartoon world,” says Kabaka.

Vault by Vans has collaborated with London label, Aries, on a six-piece shoe collection, alongside an individual sweater, hoodie, and beanie. Inspired by Aries founder Sofia Prantera’s interest in the LA punk scene and her time working at streetwear boutique Slam Jam, the collection, she says, follows an “accidental recipe; some colours don’t quite match like they have been made of found pieces of material; graphics and logos are incoherent; random apocalyptic stories appear on the soles.” The “deadstock-inspired” capsule blends together tiger-print, tie-dye, and graphic overlays, and is available now at all Vault by Vans locations.

Kate Moss is as in-demand as ever, stepping in front of Juergen Teller’s camera for a new Coach campaign dropping this week. Striking a pose in front of London’s Tower Bridge (that’s Tower Bridge, Fergie), the model was drafted to show off the label’s newly reimagined Rogue bag. Chic!

In a bid to further eliminate the masses of waste the fashion industry floats on, Farfetch has launched a new pre-order service as part of its commitment to overhauling its practices for the better. Also good news for those who spend the lead up to release day panicking they’re not going to get their hands on the pieces they want. A win win, all in all.

Fresh from walking Simon’s AW21 show last month, Kendall Jenner stepped in front of the camera for the trop jolie French designer. Starring in the accompanying campaign, the model taps into her spirit for adventure by dangling about in a whale-net hammock, clambering up a rope, and flashing a bit of underboob in the cardigan that has swiftly infiltrated social media and caused anyone interested above a B cup to sob into their cornflakes. Have a scroll through above.

Having launched her eponymous – and almost immediately, cult – label back in 2015, Proenza Schouler alumnus Zofia Chylak just dropped a new line that seeks to reinvent and rehaul traditional moiré fabric for a new era. Crafted in France by a family-owned company in the biz for generations, Chylak’s new version incorporates 62 per cent recycled ocean plastic, recycled thread, and recycled rubber. Getting the picture? Head here to check out the full collection.